Screen overlays?

[BlackX]

In anticipation of my forthcoming SE, one of the things I've thought about doing early on was making some sort of screen overlay to put on the Smartfind screen and marking dots on it to help me learn where different targets fall in different conditions. Anyone else done anything like this? If so, what did you use for the overlays?

_Rich_

 

[SNOWY]

There was a French guy I read about that had an Explorer XS.
He did a clear plastic overlay screen, and marked it with colored dots for the keepers he was seeking.
A different colored dot for each of the targets !

Keep in mind though that depending on a coins angle, or time that it has been in the ground ~ remember though that things don't register EXACTLY
in the same place on the screen EVERY time.

So I guess at times you would have to dig to see what is actually in the ground when you see an item hit close to one of your colored dots....

 

[BlackX]

[quote SNOWY]...things don't register EXACTLY in the same place on the screen EVERY time[/quote]

Especially gold, eh? (I've only found one gold piece so far--10K w/ a lab ruby. I used to wear it at times then the dog ate it. Actually, when I went to visit my GF, he was so excited to see me he was trying to jump all over me and it snapped in half when his claw caught it.)

I've thought it would be neat if there was a nice big history buffer so one could keep track of where things hit with a way to note what it was--and then a USB port to be able to download it. One of these years.

BTW, you're the same Snowy as on MLO, right? (Been trying to read everything I could about Explorers lately.)

_RIch_

 

[Steve(OR)]

This site should help: http://www.frontiernet.net/~jvokes/exscreens.htm

Not an overlay, but it should help you learn where targets will land on the Smart screen. The emulator posted a while back is a good learning tool as well...

Steve

 

[SNOWY]

Yeah Rich,
same old geezer !!!

 

[mailman14]

My buddy and I tried overlays and found it increased the glare too much to be worth it.

 

[Skully]

I really don't understand this...not to be harsh....but there is no such thing as a perfect signal ( depth, angle, age, ground, and so many other thing come into play )
Why leave a target and have to wonder if you should have dug it..Just my opinion...
Dig everything is my moto!

Good luck what ever you decide!

 

[BlackX]

Not sure exactly what you're referring to but I'm not looking for perfect signals. (Not that that wouldn't be nice. ) My thought on the overlays is that it might speed up my learning process of what falls where on the screen and to correlate that with what it sounds like. In a pretty intense year with a Sov a good percentage of my best finds have been imperfect signals--a half reale for instance. That's actually a lot of what I'm thinking about when it comes to the overlay idea--learning/keeping track of where things hit or what they sound like when they aren't a perfect signal. (Otherwise I'd just use strong disc.) Overall, my goal is to improve my odds no matter where I am or how much time I have. To me it's all a bit of a time/coverage balance.

On digging everything, if I dug everything, I probably wouldn't have made it out of my yard yet. (I've pulled at least 6 objects--mostly nails--out of one small hole. ) And around here, the most promising sites I currently have access to are pretty trashy. But, at least at this point, I am planning on starting out with little or no disc, using ferrous tones, and digging most everything--even the top left corner for a while--until I learn it pretty well.

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

I used the clear plastic that you find in windows of box packaging.
Mick Evans.
[attachment 78688 RIMG0736.JPG]

 

[tab-nabit]

When I first got my Explorer, I ran it over the test garden in the backyard which contains coins and a variety of other stuff.
I recall that I almost placed a single layer of Saran Wrap like material over the entire control and was going to mark certain targets with different colors of felt tip markers. This would give me an idea of where certain targets were by the cross-hair and allow operation of the push button pad.
Instead I went to the digital screen and ended up making a waterproof target legend and have been using the digital screen, or the iron mask and dig responsive targets. Made up several of the quick reference waterproof legends as items later were added on the list.
Then after awhile I started working by audio - sure plays more tunes than any other machine I have ever tried.
I haven't used my Explorer much in 2007, only about 5 or 6 hunts.

 

[Pete in MI]

First, I found at Wal-mart a package in the electronics area (by the phones hanging on an aisle display) that has clear plastic covers designed to protect things like palm pilot screens, etc. which will work on the Minelab display screen.

For some added info you might want to look at this, http://www.findmall.com/read.php?13,630226,630226#msg-630226

It explains (using the Explorer II Emulator) what one loses when using too much discrimination. You can get an idea from it where the coins fall. Pics included.

HH

 

[BlackX]

That's exactly what was in the back of my mind somewhere but I wasn't dredging it up from the depths. Thanks, Pete!
(though I still need to try the box packaging window suggestion)